Amazing Spider-Man #615 Review

Spider-Man crosses path with a new and improved Sandman.

Fred Van Lente and Javier Pulido's first entry into the Gauntlet storyline feels tighter and more contemporary than Mark Waid and Paul Azaceta's throwback-style reintroduction of Elektro. The issue pauses briefly to explore the emotional fallout from the disastrous events of the previous story, then sets Peter Parker off on a well-crafted mystery to connect three unsolved murders and save the reputation of friend and forensic investigator Carlie Cooper. By the time it's through, Van Lente and Pulido have led us through a captivating detective story before slamming us over the head with an unexpected revelation. I'd call it a definite success, even if it didn't knock me over with its originality.

The issue begins with a young girl named Keemia enjoying life alone in a mysterious urban wonderland that seems both familiar and wholly unfamiliar at the same time. Because Sandman is on the cover, and because Keemia's narration describes a looming father figure that's responsible for her little kingdom, it's apparent early on that Sandman is involved with this little girl somehow. It's a clever set-up, one which gives the appearance of one mystery before Van Lente enhances it with another.

I feel like it's been a while now since I've seen Peter do some hardcore detecting, which is perhaps one reason why I enjoyed this story as much as I did. Van Lente's script walks us rather meticulously through Spider-Man's process of deducing a connection between three stolen murder weapons, leading both us readers and the hero on a collision course with Sandman. If you're a fan of detective stories, you'll likely share my enjoyment of this process, even if you get more emotional bang for your buck out of a brief, heart-felt exchange between J. Jonah Jameson and Robbie Robertson.

Pulido's art was probably my favorite aspect of the issue. In my eyes Pulido's work on this title is second only to Marcos Martin. The two share the same timeless feel and expressive, animated style. I loved little flairs like Spider-Man's scarf, earmuffs and socks, his webbed parachute, and the otherworldliness of Sandman's stronghold. By the time he and Van Lente dropped the issue's big cliffhanger, I was ready and eager to dive into part two.